The purposes of chapter 16, Laws of 1983 1st ex. sess. are declared by the legislature to be as follows:

(1) To preserve and enhance the state crime laboratory and state toxicology laboratory, which are essential parts of the criminal justice and death investigation systems in the state of Washington;

(2) To fund the death investigation system and to make related state and local institutions more efficient;

(3) To provide resources necessary for the performance, by qualified pathologists, of autopsies which are also essential to the criminal justice and death investigation systems of this state and its counties;

(4) To improve the performance of death investigations and the criminal justice system through the formal training of county coroners and county medical examiners;

(5) To establish and maintain a dental identification system; and

(6) To provide flexibility so that any county may establish a county morgue when it serves the public interest.

Effective date—1999 c 40: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 1999." [ 1999 c 40 s 9.]